© Jane Baskwill 2008

Picture It,Dads!

FacilitatorActivities

ForWhere’s Spot?

© Jane Baskwill 2008

Picture It, Dads! Where’s Spot?

Goals for Dads:1. To practice read-aloud techniques, specifically surprise and

anticipation.2. To learn about the lift-the-flap format.3. To develop strategies to involve their child in the reading (For example, by

lifting the flap and “reading” their part).

Goals for Children:1. To experience surprise and anticipation through a read-aloud.2. To enjoy a new read-aloud genre.3. To engage in the reading of the book.

Schedule of ActivitiesA. Welcome

Use dog puppet (either home-made or purchased) to welcome and for Whole Group Activity

B. Whole Groupa. Action Song: This Old Man b. Book: Where’s Spot?

C. Parent Sessiona. See: Parent Session Plan

D. Children’s Sessiona. See: Children’s Session Plan: Make a Spot sock puppetb. Snack*

E. Dads and Children Activitya. See: Combined Parents/Children Session: Book-Making Activityb. Assemble book

F. Hand out Workshop Bag

*Snack can move depending on time.

© Jane Baskwill 2008

Whole Group Session: Parents and Children

In advance: Print the song on chart paper.

Gather children together on floor or in chairs close to the chart. (The chart helps the leaders remember what comes next and helps parents participate!)

Use the Spot puppet to heighten attention and interest. Introduce Spot. Tell the children they can help Spot sing this song by singing and doing the hand actions.

This Old Man

Verse 1

This old man, he played one, He played nick-nack on my thumb;with a nick-nack paddy whack, give a dog a bone. This old man came rolling home.

Verse 2

This old man, he played two, He played nick-nack on my shoe;with a nick-nack paddy whack, give a dog a bone. This old man came rolling home.

Verse 3

This old man, he played three, He played nick-nack on my on my knee;with a nick-nack paddy whack, give a dog a bone. This old man came rolling home.

Verse 4

This old man, he played four, He played nick-nack on my door;with a nick-nack paddy whack, give a dog a bone. This old man came rolling home.

Verse 5

This old man, he played five, He played nick-nack on my hive;with a nick-nack paddy whack, give a dog a bone. This old man came rolling home.

© Jane Baskwill 2008

Verse 6

This old man, he played six, He played nick-nack on my sticks;with a nick-nack paddy whack, give a dog a bone. This old man came rolling home.

Verse 7

This old man, he played seven, He played nick-nack up in heaven;with a nick-nack paddy whack, give a dog a bone. This old man came rolling home.

Verse 8

This old man, he played eight, He played nick-nack on my gate;with a nick-nack paddy whack, give a dog a bone. This old man came rolling home.

Verse 9

This old man, he played nine, He played nick-nack on my spine;with a nick-nack paddy whack, give a dog a bone. This old man came rolling home.

Verse 10

This old man, he played ten, He played nick-nack over again;with a nick-nack paddy whack, give a dog a bone. This old man came rolling home

Story: Read Where’s Spot?

Hold the book so the children can see the pictures. Say “The title of this story is “Where’s Spot?.” Ask if any of the children have ever played hide-and-seek. Ask who they like to play hide-and-seek with and where some of their favourite hiding places are. After a brief discussion of the cover and what they think this story might be about, read the story inviting as much participation and conversation as possible. (You might ask different children to come up and lift the flap on each page.)

After reading the story, tell the children they will have a copy of the book for their very own to take home with them to keep. Tell them they are going to have help to make their very own Spot sock puppets. Encourage them to go with ____________ (the Early Childhood teacher). Tell them you are going to talk with their dads and that you will join them soon.

See: Parent Session Directions

© Jane Baskwill 2008

Children’s Session: Spot Sock Puppets

Materials

Tube Socks (one for each child) Googly eyes Felt (suggested colors: red, pink, brown and white) Waxed paper or plastic shopping bags Scissors Glue

In Advance:

Cut felt in assorted shapes and colours for ears, nose, tongue, and spots. Cover tables with newspaper or plastic garbage bags. Have materials divided into 4 or 5 groupings depending on the number of children and a set for you to use to demonstrate (see below).

The Activity

Start this activity by explaining that you are going to help the children make their own Spot sock puppet. To do this first stuff your sock with crumpled waxed paper. This will keep the glue from

causing the sock to stick together. Show the children a puppet you have started in advance. Have one eye glued on and one ear. Add the second eye and ear while the children watch. Show the children where the tongue should go and how they can add spots on their puppets ears or neck.

Divide the children among the workstations and have each child stuff their tube sock with wax paper or plastic bags before starting to decorate.

Have each child choose two large floppy ears and glue them to the sides of their sock puppet so that they will hang down on either side of the head. They can choose a round "nose" out of pink, red, black or brown felt and glue it to the "nose" of their puppet, right where their fingers will be. They can glue googly eyes or buttons to make the eyes for their dog puppet. A disc of pale pink felt will make the inside of the dog puppet's mouth and they can attach a red tongue that hangs out of his mouth a little bit. Allow a few minutes for the puppets to dry. The children can eat their snack while they wait.

© Jane Baskwill 2008

Clean-up: Have children help tidy up.

Group share:If time permits, have children sit in a circle and ask for volunteers to share their puppets. Encourage each child to answer for their puppet when you ask “Where will you hide today, Spot?” (Child’s response might be: “I’m going to hide under the table.”). You may have to help by prompting or reminding them where Spot hid in the story (i.e. Remember when Spot hid under the _____ [stairs]?).

© Jane Baskwill 2008

Parent Session

Where’s Spot? DebriefingTeam Talk: Talk about the read-aloud. This should be an interactive session with lots of opportunity for the Dads to share their own experiences and to ask questions.

What did you notice about how the leader read the book?How did the leader use their voice?What about their body, facial expression, eye contact?What did you notice about how the children responded? How did the children respond to the Lift-A-Flap format?Did they participate? How? What did they say? When?Did they lose interest at any point?How did the leader try to get their interest back?

Talk about your own experiences when reading aloud to your child or someone else’s. Give other tips from your own experience. Give Dads an opportunity to talk about what they did with the bag from the previous session and/or time to share some stories of their own.

Take-Home BagsShow the materials in the bag. Briefly go over the contents and activities.Note: Explain they are to keep the materials and to bring the bag back the next time they come so it can be filled with new materials.

Briefly describe what the children have been doing (making Spot sock puppets) and explain they can help their child practice using their puppets by asking Spot (i.e. their child’s puppet) where he is going to hide (i.e. “Where are you going to hide today Spot?”). Encourage them to have their child demonstrate, using their puppet, where Spot is going to hide (on the chair, behind the couch, in the bag).

Note: Remind the Dads that with any hide-and-seek game young children need to be reminded they should only hide in places that are safe and that they have talked over first with their parents.

© Jane Baskwill 2008

Explain final book-making activity The book they will make with their child has a repetitive pattern. We have a template prepared that they will fill in for their child.

Page 1: Where’s _____ (child’s name)? Page 2: Is he/she ________? (Picture and response: “No!”)Page 3: Is he/she ________? (Picture and response: “No!”)Page 4: He’s/She’s on her _______ (Daddy’s, Grampie’s, Uncle’s…) lap!

We will all be in the computer room and there will be lots of help.

Combined Session: Second Picture It, Dads! Book

Based on Where’s Spot?

This book is again based on a template where you can add pictures to make the book more individual. A change this time is that there will be print on each side of the page. Since we knew what would be on one side, those pages have been prepared and will be loaded into the printer when it is time to print out each book. We will have to make sure we take turns when printing so everything comes out right!

1. Load the template into the computer.2. Choose pictures from the end of the story to be in your own story (cut and

paste)3. Add the final picture of yourself on the last page.4. Insert a page pack into the printer and print out the book. NOTE: Print ONLY

pages 1,2,4,6 and 85. Go to the ‘real’ cut and paste table and add the fold out flaps for each page.

Also add the ‘NO!’ stickers under the flaps.6. Read and enjoy your new book!